


Meeting

by Choke-a-Bro (Vanya_Deyja)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: First proper introductions, Slice of Life, Vignette, pre game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-18 18:08:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21281015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/Choke-a-Bro
Summary: Nyx doesn't have much to do with the royals directly but the Marshall calls him in as backup when the princeling gets stuck up in the rigging during practice.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 132





	Meeting

Nyx has never had much to do with the little prince. He knows the prince has his own set of retainers and Crownsguard in training; his own Shield, his own Hand… but they’re not Nyx’s problem. He deals with the wars and with King Regis’ personal to-do list of asses to kick. He’s from beyond the wall, as good as an immigrant to the Insomnia born Crownsguard, so he supposes it’s wise to keep his distance.

Then Cor the Immortal, the fucking Marshall, calls him up for a favor.

“Can you report to the training arena? We’ve had an incident with the Prince and I’d like someone with a cool head to handle it.”

“Yeah, sure Sir,” Nyx grunts into his earpiece, making a beeline through the back buildings of the Citadel.

When he makes it to the training arena he finds Clarus’ son, the big one, trying to reason with the Prince who is dangling from a dagger embedded in the wall a good fifty feet up.

“Noct I’ll catch you,” he insists. “Just let go.”

“Nope. Na-uh.” The Prince shakes his head anxiously. “_No way._”

“Hey,” Nyx announces himself, drawing their attention. Clarus’ son, the Prince’s Shield, looks somewhere between relieved and mortified. Up on the wall the unimpressed Prince looks like he might puke in protest. “Gladiolus, right?”

“Uh—Yeah, Sir, yes!” Gladiolus isn’t much older than the Prince all things considered. Maybe eighteen to the Prince’s twelve. He gives a cursory salute and asks; “did the Marshall send you?”

“He did. What’s the problem?”

“He warped.” Gladiolus wheezes weakly. “He’s never done that and—”

“And now he can’t get down?” Nyx laughs despite himself.

Gladiolus nods.

“Can’t you warp up to him?” Nyx supposes.

“I don’t have King’s magic. I’m waiting to draw on Noct’s strength when the time comes.” Gladiolus explains sheepishly. “Can you…?”

“Give me five,” Nyx snorts, hurling his dagger into the wall and warping up beside the Prince who startles so hard he almost loses his grip. Hushing him, re-securing his grip on his dagger, Nyx tries valiantly to introduce himself. “Hey Highness, Nyx Ulric, at your service.”

“Hi,” comes the weak little reply.

“I get the feeling you don’t like heights?”

“I don’t mind, usually.” The Prince mumbles glancing sickly at the floor all the way below them. Gladiolus looks smaller from this angle. It’s a long fall for a twelve year old.

“It’s not so bad,” Nyx assures. He’s used to hurling himself off things. “Pretty exciting to manage your first warp.”

“Total accident.” The Prince admits. “My magic is awful. I don’t have any control over it.”

“Warping’s easy. Way easier than lightning.” Nyx promises. “Warping’s actually fun once you get the hang of it but if you’d like to continue this conversation on the ground…?”

“Please,” the Prince groans, eyes darting between Nyx and said ground.

“Okay, so,” Nyx lays it out, “it’s like this; you’re going to hurl your dagger down just like you hurled it up and give into that same lurch feeling. Then, poof, you’ll be on the ground nice and safe. Might throw up but that’s normal.”

“That would involve letting go of the wall and free falling.” The Prince points out.

“Basically, yeah.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Well it’s the most elegant way to get down,” Nyx shrugs, “but I’m sure your Shield would catch you.”

“Is that an option that doesn’t involve plummeting?”

“Plummeting’s fun.” Nyx insists.

“Not sold.” The Prince maintains weakly. “But I’m losing upper body strength here….”

“Do you want me to show you an example?” Nyx offers. “I’ll do it and then you can just copy me, okay? Just give it a go. Worse come to worst you’ll fall on your Shield. He’s brawny. He can take it.”

“Um…” The Prince wavers, eyes darting. “Um, yeah, okay. Okay. Let’s do that.”

“You’ll be fine.” Nyx promises. “Just as quick as you can; detach and hurl. Don’t have to aim at this stage. You’re just following gravity.”

“Okay. Right.” He nods. He looks very unconvinced.

“Ready? You watching?” Nyx prepares him.

The Prince nods.

Nyx makes it look easy but he was a mess of limbs the first time he tried this particular maneuver. There is a moment of free fall before the warp kicks in but in a flash Nyx is lurching onto his feet on the arena tiles.

“See?” He turns back around, spreading his arms up at the Prince. “That easy!”

“You’re going to get him to do that?” Gladiolus looks pale.

“You might wanna hang out under him. Just in case.” Nyx warns under his breath. “Ready Highness? I’ll count you down! Three…”

The Prince closes his eyes, says something very un-princely.

“Two…”

Gladiolus is stationed under him, just waiting.

“One!”

It happens quickly. Just like Nyx explained it. The Prince lands more with a roll than on his feet per-se but he’s on the ground and none the worse for wear seemingly. He definitely warped. He’s a natural. Given he’ll have a few years more practice than Nyx, heck, one day he’ll probably be the expert.

“Yeah! Just like that!” Nyx applauds, helping him onto his feet.

Gladiolus is over in a flash. He moves fast for a metric fuck ton of muscle.

“You alright?” He frets, turning the Prince towards him and starting to pat him down before the boy can get a word out.

“I’m—I—_Gladio!_” The Prince huffs, shoving his hands away. “I’m okay! Promise! I—” He blinks. “That actually was kind of fun…?” He admits, glancing conspiratorially to Nyx.

“Plummeting’s fun.” Nyx concurs with a sagely nod. “Should I let you get back to your regular training?”

“I think regular training is—” Gladiolus attempts before the Prince interjects.

“Can you show me how to do that again? Like on purpose?” The Prince supposes. “If, you know, you’re not busy…?”

“I mean….” Nyx laughs. “I don’t have any official business to attend to and you technically out rank me so…?”

“Yes!” The Prince beams. “Show me how to do that! And show me how to throw something _without_ doing that!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Nyx snorts. “Might give Gladiolus here a little less to worry about if you know how to turn that on and off.”

“Yes, _please._” Gladiolus wheezes.

Nyx spends the next two hours diligently demonstrating and overseeing practice with the Prince. You can tell the kid has been trained to fight his whole life. He picks it up quickly. Hell, little thing even starts to have fun with it. Before too long he’s pulling maneuvers Nyx needed six months practice and some serious balls to attempt. Gladiolus does not look thrilled. He lurches up from his bench every time the Prince pulls a freefall. Nyx suspects Gladiolus will have to do more to adjust to the Prince warping than the Prince will.

“He always like this?” Nyx laughs as the Prince secures himself a seat in the lighting rig.

“_Always_,” Gladiolus sounds tired beyond his years.

“Well I think he’s got it.” Nyx promises. “You shouldn’t have an accidental warp again.”

“Thank you, Glaive Ulric,” Gladiolus is genuinely sincere when he speaks, Nyx is unaccustomed to such a voice.

“No problem,” he plants his hands on his hips. “Alright your Highness, I’ve got to head off now! You alright up there?”

“I’m good!” The Prince hollers down. “Thank you!”


End file.
